Blakeshire (Insight #9)(14)

“A few. Quit trying to deflect.”

I glided my feet in the warm water, and as I did my mind flashed back to my childhood trauma, the woman, the octopus.

“That is symbolic,” he stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

I glanced up at him.

“The octopus. Every animal is symbolic, and to me it looks like that woman was trying to keep you away from it.”

“My point exactly.”

“Rather ugly woman. Maybe it’s a man,” he said as his eyes looked all around me and evaluated my thoughts.

I shrugged.

Right about then, the air filled with the powerful, everlasting aroma of mint. A lingering sensation of fresh cut roses was laced within that addictive scent. I sighed. Drake had passed another test. He had come for me.

I felt a burning sensation bloom through my core and slide down my legs, reaching my toes and causing them to curl just as I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath. A fire had consumed my soul. That boy was becoming a drug to me. He always caused that sensation in me, long before he even entered the room I was in...how insane was that? To spellbind a girl by just being in the same zip code?



Drake



I left Esterious without one single possession. I suppose in my own way I was telling my mother I was not running—I was going to get what was mine, and I planned to take my time to do just that.

I had never been able to see my way to Chara. Each and every passage was vacant to me. But my brother had guided me here a few days ago. I still couldn’t see them, but I could feel them. I had charged through the wall of the string, not caring if I was wrong and my skin was burned. I guessed right and made it through to the land that was near perfect. I had never been to anyone’s home here but Willow’s, but I could swear I could feel Madison. I followed that undeniable pull through the field, finding a home. Right as I went to open the door, my newfound brother Chrispin pulled it ajar, looking at me as if I were a ghost.

“Where is she?” I grated.

“Upstairs. Look, when she comes out of the bath we are going to talk to her and figure out how damaged she is and then ask her to come back to Esterious.”

“I’m not waiting that long.”

Chrispin’s soul mate, Olivia, rounded the corner at that moment and made a half-hearted attempt to stop me from climbing the stairs. “Don’t, Drake. She’s coming around to you. Don’t push this right now. Something is off about her. She is more distant than ever right now. She wouldn’t even let Aden in.”

I glanced to the kitchen table to see Aden sitting still as a statue, staring into nothing. He was seeing, no doubt. His soul was more than likely at Madison’s side. He was consoling her. That was my place, and I was prepared to tell him as much.

“I’m not asking. I’m going up there.”

“Drake,” Chrispin said as he went to follow me. I stopped at the top of the stairs, knowing as soon as I went in that room that I would more than likely not come out for days. I locked stares with Chrispin. “You know Zander.” I had introduced them all to him but made it seem as if he were an ordinary warrior at my command. “He’s now your second-in-command.”

Chrispin’s eyes went wide. “You can’t trust anyone from Esterious,” he argued.

“I trust him with my life. Always have. This happens now. He is currently at your post, brother. You might want to make sure that transition goes well, considering that Marc needs to be in my role now and until further notice.”

He started to say something, and anger took over me. I pushed him against the wall, finding it harder than I should have. “You tell me, brother. If you were in my place, would you sit in your palace and wait for me to bring Olivia to you? Would you wait for her to be strong, or would you be the one making her strong?”

Whatever force he was using to defend himself left his body as shock took over his eyes. “You’re over Willow?” Chrispin asked in a ghostly tone.

“Zander will lead you to a wing in the palace that was built by myself and our father. Open it. Send whomever to Madison’s home dimension and bring any object that would give her peace.”

Even though I admitted nothing, that statement right there said it all to a man that had been raised in the traditions of Chara.

“Congratulations are in order, brother, but you need to cool it. She’s beyond fragile.”

I smirked. “That girl is anything but,” I said as I pressed my hold against him once more before returning to my charge toward where I knew she was. I could feel her. Fire. Raw fire. That was what her energy was.

I charged through the bedroom door and started to bang on the bathroom door. “Open the door!” I bellowed as Olivia and Chrispin kept their arguments up that this was a bad idea.

They were right: knocking was stupid. I pulled the door from its hinges and haphazardly handed it to Chrispin.



Madison



As soon as Drake began to bang on the door, Aden had stood and pulled me behind him in an attempt to protect me. The door left its hinges a second later.

Standing tall in the threshold was the most addictive, seductive, gorgeous soul that has ever taken a breath on this rock: Drake Blakeshire.

His midnight eyes took in the room, me in a towel, damp from the steam, Aden standing before me holding his hand behind him to ensure that I stayed there. Yeah, it was a pretty tight moment.